George henry needham and william smith



'No. 6l8,430. Patented .lah. 3|, I899.

G. H. NEEDHAM & W. SMITH.

ELASTIC WHEEL.

(Applicatiomfiled Dec. 29, 1897.

(No Model.)

/ i a m/g NITED STATES PATENT FFIc.

GEORGE HENRY NEEDl-IAM AND WILLIAMSMITH, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELASTIC WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,430, dated January 31, 1899.

7 Application filed December 29, 1897. Serial No. 664,413. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM and WILLIAM SMITH, subjects of r tained a patent in Great Britain, No. 13,584;

bearing date June 19, 1896,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to produce an elastic or resilient wheel and without the employment of inflated tires.

\Vith this object we provide an annular ring, rigidly supported from the hub-flanges by tension-spokes, the ring and the hub forming carrying parts for a series of radial tubes. Exterior to the ring we provide a continuous annular metal felly, which is somewhat elastic and carries inwardlyextending radial plungers connected to shoes located and capable of a sliding motion in circumferential slots in the outer metal felly. The plungers enter telescopically into the radial tubes, and are held out by elastic medium in the tubes; and our invention consists inthe specific construction and combination of parts.

WVe will describe our invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings,wherein Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation awheel made in accordance with our said invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of a wheel-hub detached. Fig. 3 shows in partial sectional side eleva tion the arrangement of the telescopic spokes, the inner ring, and the outer felly, drawn to a larger scale than the previous figure. Fig. 4 shows in sectional side elevation another arrangement of the said spokes.

According to our invention and with special reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings we provide an annular ring G, rigidly supported by tension-spokes F from side flanges on the hub G.

B are a series of radial tubes, the inner ends being fixed in a central flange of the hub O, and the outer ends are fixed and pass through the ring G.

The felly A of the wheel is preferably formed of metal and is a continuous annulus of somewhat elastic character having circumferentially-extending slots A, as shown at Fig. 3, in it at regular intervals. In each slot A there is a shoe D, capable of sliding therein,

and each shoe Dcarries one end of a radiallyextending plunger D, the plungers entering the open outerends of the radial tubes, within which they have telescopic action. The inner ends of the plungers D within the tubes B rest and are acted upon by elastic cushions, such as springs E, Figs. 1, 2, and 3. An in= dia-rubber or other flexible tire H may be secured to the felly A.

WVhen the wheel is in use, the upper and lower spokes will have telescopic action, the action of the lowerspokes beingresilient,while the spokes which are horizontal will not prevent such action by reason of the flexure of the felly and the play allowed by the slots in the said felly.

At Fig.4 we have illustrated means whereby the plungers D instead of resting upon metal springs E rest upon cushions of air. In this case the ends of the plungers D are fitted with leather cups J, so that when forced into the tubes B the air is compressed, and in this manner an air-cushion is interposed between the plungers D and the hub C of the wheel. Instead of the air being only compressed by the insertion of the plungers D means may be provided, such as are shown at Fig. 4, whereby the air may be compressed within a chamber L in the hub and have passages K communicating with all the tubes B. An inflation-valve L is fitted, whereby the compressed air from an. ordinary air-pump may be supplied to all the plungers.

We claim as our invention 1. In elastic or resilient wheels for velocipedes and other road-vehicles, the combina tion with a wheel-hub having flanges, a rigid ring of less diameter than the Wheel-felly, tension-spokes from the hub-flanges to the ring to support the latter, and a series of radial guide-tubes fixed to and extending centrally from the hub to the ring, of an outer continuous elastic felly having a series of circumferential slots, shoes capable of sliding in the slots, inwardly-extendin g radial plungers carried by the shoes at one end and extending into the radial guide-tubes, and elastic cushionsin the tubes between the bases of the plungers and the hub, substantially as set forth.

2. In elastic or resilient wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles, the combination of less diameter than the wheel-felly, tensionspokes extending from the two outer flanges of the hub to support the ring, and a number of radial tubes, their inner ends fixed in the central parts of the hub and their outer open ends extending through and supported by the aforesaid ring, of an outer elastic felly of larger diameter than the ring and having circumferential slots, inwardly-extending radial plungers entering the radial tubes, shoes located and capable of sliding in the slots of the felly, to which shoes the plungers are connected, to allow the felly circumferential motion relatively to the plungers, and springs in the tubes to act against the inner ends of the plungers, substantially as set forth.

3. In elastic or resilient wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles, the combination with a hub, a surrounding ring of less diameter than the felly, spokes extending from each side of the hub to rigidly support the ring, and a number of radial tubes with their inner ends fixed in the hub, and their outer open ends extending through and supported by the aforesaid ring, of an outer felly of larger diameter than the ring and having slots, radial rods extending from the slots and having a I motion at said slots in relation to the felly,

the rods extending into the radial tubes, and pistons on the ends of the rods fitting the tubes in an air-tight manner, thereby pro viding an air-sprin g to elastically support the outer felly, substantially as set forth.

4. In elastic or resilient wheels for velocipedes and other vehicles, the combination with an outer felly having circumferentiallyextending slots, sliding shoes in the slots, radial rods carried by the shoes, and pistons on the ends of the rods, of a hollow hub, a surrounding ring of less diameter than the felly, spokes extending from each side of the hub to rigidly support the ring and a "number of radial tubes into which the pistons and rods extend,the outer ends of said tubes being supported. by the ring, and the inner ends fixed to and opening into the hollow hub, a valve by which air can be forced into the hub to act as a spring-support for the rods extending to the felly, as set forth.

- GEORGE HENRY NEEDHAM.

WILLIAM SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

T. F. OSMAN, WALTER J. SKERTEN. 

